Nonviolent action involves opposing the opponent's power, including his police and military capacity, not with the weapons chosen by him but by quite different means. Repression by the opponent is used against his own power position in a kind of political "ju-jitsu" and the very sources of his power thus reduced or removed, with the result that his political and military position is seriously weakened or destroyed.

By placing confidence in violent means, one has chosen the very type of struggle with which the oppressors nearly always have superiority.

Contrary to popular opinion, even totalitarian dictatorships are dependent on the population and the societies they rule.

You have a chance of learning -- if you want to and youre not arrogant.

Dictators are not in the business of allowing elections that could remove them from their thrones.

The fall of one regime does not bring in a utopia. Rather, it opens the way for hard work and long efforts to build more just social, economic,and political relationships and the eradication of other forms of injustices and oppression.

Whatever promises offered by dictators in any negotiated settlement, no one should ever forget that the dictators may promise anything to secure submission from their democratic opponents, and then brazenly violate those same agreements.